Combined track-gage and rail-fastener.



D. S. EARLL. COMBINED TRACK GAGE AND RAIL FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.16,1914.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

UNI ED. STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

DAVID s- EARLL or sYRAcUsE, NEW YORK.

COMBINED TRACKTGAGE AND RAIIi-FASTI BNERQ accompanying drawings, is aifull, clear, and 10.

exact description.

This invention relates to a of a-concrete tie and slotted plates embedded in operative position thereon, they will not only hold the rails to a predetermined gage.

therein in spaced relation, corresponding to the gageof the track forre'ceiving suitable clamping devices whereby the rails are held the proper distance apart. I

The m'ain object is to locate the slotted plates in such relation to each other, that when the rail-clamping members areplaced without the use'of special gage implements, but will also reduce the liability ofoverturning 'of the rails.

Another object is to construct the railclampingblocks in such manner that-portions thereof will extend into and substantially fill the portions. of the slot at opposite sides of the rail, whereby opposite ends of such portions will abut respectively against the ends of the, slot and adjacent edges of the base flanges of the rail, so as to lock said rail against lateralmovement without other fastening means.-

One, of the specific objects is to reduce the time and labor necessary to'properly'gage and secure the rails of the track to the ties, and at the same time, to permit the fastening means to be'as easily and quickly re- I moved when necessary.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will be brought out in the following description.

Inthe drawings Figure 1' is a perspective view of a portion of a track and a concrete tie, equipped with m*y improved track gage and rail fastener. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through one ofthe rails and lengthwise through the adjacent portion of the tie and one of the railclan ping devices thereon, taken on line. 2- 2, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is an enlarged detail sectional view through one of-the ties, taken on line 83, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one Specification of'Letters Patent.

, combined track I gage and rail fastener, and involves the use Patented Feb.'16, 1915;"

Application filed October 16. 1914. Serial No. 866,918.

of ,the detached gageplates', Fig. 5 is inverted perspective view' of one of the He: tached clamping blocks.

In carrying out the; objects stated, a pairof inverted U-shape gage plates --I-' of pressed steel or equivalent material are embedded in a concrete tie--2 inoprope rly spaced relation, corresponding to the, gage f i p of a track, while theconcrete is" still in a plastic condition during its formation in suitabl'e'molds, not necessary'to herein illus-- trate, the upper portion, as 3---, of each plate being substantially flat while the sides,

as 4, are disposed at substantially right angles to the top and providedat their lower edges with outwardly projecting flanges I lVhen these plates are embedded in the concrete, their'upper faces are'substantially coincident with. that of the tie and constitute a part of the bearing upon which the rail rests,'the length of each plate being somewhat greater than the combined width of the base of the rail and length of the ribbed portions of the clamping blocks, presently described The flat top 3 of each plate is provided with a lengthwise slot '6 directly therethrough and terminating at its ends in rectangular enlargements 7- forreceiving the heads of suitable clamping bolts, hereinafter described, by which the rail-clamping blocks are held in operative position. The uprightsides of each plate are provided with a series of openings above the ribs 5 to permit the concrete to be worked therethrougli, so as to unite the bodieswithin and withoutthe plate, which together with the flanged ribs -5-, embedded iii the concrete, securely anchorthe plate to the tie against relative movement;

During the formation of the concrete tie 2-, a suitable lengthwise channel 9- is molded in the upper portion thereof, directly under the top 3 .of the plate -1--, so asto register with the slot ceiving the heads of the clamping bolts, the channel 9 being. coextensive ,in length with that of the slot -'6., but is slightly wider than said slot to correspond approximately with the width of the heads of the clamping bolts. Each rail is clamped to the tie by means of a pair of clamping blocks -10-, having ribbed portions 11 fitted in and filling portions of the slot -6 at 6 for .re-

opposite sides of the rail, andfianged. portions -12 extending toward each other tance between 'the adjacent end of the slot and corresponding edge of the base flange of the rail, so that when the clamping blocks are placed in operative position they serve to hold the rail against lateral movement, independently of any other fastening means, but in orderto prevent upward displacement-0f these clamping blocks or overturningot the rail, said blocks are held in operative position by clamping bolts l3. These clamping bolts 13- are passed through vertical apertures 14 in; the blocks 10- and registering with the slot ,6 in the top 3 of the plate --1, the lower endso'f the bolts being provided with square heads 15 of substantially the same form andsize as the enlargements '7 at the ends of-the slot '6.

"The upper ends of the bolts are threaded and provided with nuts 16' which are always accessible for tightening or loosening. The distance from the centers of the bolts -13-- to the outer ends of the clamping blocks 10 is greater than the lengths of the enlarged portion -7 of the slot 6 so that when the clamping blocks are adjusted forvuse inholding/ the rail in operative position, theheads of the bolts engage the'under sides of the top of the plate at opposite sides of-the narrower portion of the slot 6, the width of said narrower portion being only slightly larger than the diameter of the bolts, so as to allow the latter to slidein the slot. The enlargements 7 are of slightly larger size than the heads of the corresponding bolts l3- to allow said heads 'to pass therethrough when registered therewith in the operation of placing the clamping blocks in operative position or in removing them."

At the left hand of Fig. 2, I have shown one of the clamping blocks by dotted lines in the :position assumed when registering the head of the bolt 13 with the adjacent enlargement 7- of the slot 6, in which position the lower face of the clamp ing block rests upon the upper face of the plate land the head of the bolt is free to pass downwardlv through the enlargement -7- and below the lower face of the top -3 in registration with the narrower portion of the slot, whereupon the clamping block may be moved toward the rail until its rib -1l drops into the slot -6 and its flange 12 engages the adjacent base flange of the rail, as shown by full lines, after which the clamping bolt may be tightened to firmly lock the block in its holding position, each clamping block being adjusted in the same manner and removed in the reverse manner.

What -I claim is:

1. In a combined track gage and rail fastener, the combination with a concrete tie,

of inverted U-shape plates embedded in the tie in spaced rlationfrom center to center corresponding to the gage of the track and provided with openings in their sides to permit the concrete to. knit therethrough,

each plate having its top provided with a central lengthwise slot therethrough, terminating in rectangular enlargements for receiving the heads of clamping bolts, railengaging clamps seated in said slots and abutting against the ends thereof, and clamping bolts passed through the clamps and slots and engaged with the under sides of opposite walls of said slots.

2. The combination with a concrete tie and a rail having opposite base flanges, of a rail fastening device comprising a plate embedded in the concrete with its upper side coincident with that of the tie and provided with aslot extending transversely across the under side and to opposite sides ofthe rail, clamping blocks having ribs entering said slot at opposite'sides of the rail and provided with flanges engaging the base flanges of the rail, the lengthof the slot being substantially equal to the combined lengths of block-ribs and width of the base of the rail to cause the blocks and plate to hold the rail against lateralmovement on the tie without other fastening means, and means for bolding the blocks against upward movement when adjusted for use.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of October 1914.

DAVID S. EARLL. W'itnesses H. E. CHAsn, ALlCE M. CANNON. 

